Making climate risk easier to see and understand
iilo led the creative development and initial document design drafts for BC’s first provincial-scale disaster and climate risk assessment since the 1990s, helping translate highly technical content into an accessible, navigable public report.
Communication design challenge
Sage on Earth Consulting is a Canadian consulting practice specializing in disaster and climate risk, resilience, and policy-informed decision-making. Their work supports governments and institutions in understanding complex climate data and applying it to real-world planning and preparedness.
For this project, Sage on Earth supported the Province of BC, working alongside the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness and the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions, to deliver the Disaster and Climate Risk and Resilience Assessment (DCRRA).
iilo was engaged to develop the creative concept and design the initial iterations of the DCRRA document. The subject matter includes climate-driven hazards such as flooding, wildfires, and extreme weather—topics that can feel heavy or distressing to readers.
The challenge was to design a very large, highly technical document that was easy to read and navigate, and appropriate for diverse audiences, while aligning with the Government of BC’s branding and accessibility requirements. We needed to transform almost 50 separate documents into one cohesive, nearly 500-page design framework.
iilo collaborated closely with Sage on Earth and Ministry partners, listening carefully to visual needs and audience priorities. We focused on setting a visual tone that balanced the seriousness of climate risk with clarity, care, and hope. Because iilo wasn’t involved in writing the content, we focused on how design could make understanding easier through intentional hierarchy, spacing, colour, typography, and intuitive visual pathways.
Accessibility and plain language principles guided our decisions. We designed with readers in mind, from technical practitioners who needed to move quickly through data-dense sections, to decision-makers looking for summaries they could share confidently, and the general public.
The result was a durable document design that we handed off smoothly to Sage on Earth and their Ministry clients, enabling their team to carry the project through to the public release of the assessment.
Outcomes
Clear and scalable design
We approached the DCRRA as a design framework that could scale over time, with consistent visual rules specifically for a large report structure.
Improved accessibility
Through a deliberately chosen layout, accessible colour contrast, and clear typographic hierarchy, our document design helped make dense technical material easier to scan and understand for all readers.
Intuitive visuals
We designed charts, diagrams, and graphic elements that turned complex climate and risk data into approachable visuals to make learning and decision-making simpler.
Ambitious timeline
We remained agile during the lengthy production process. In a final eight-week sprint, we designed nearly 500 pages of the assessment, coordinated the work of multiple designers, and managed several client review rounds to meet the due date.
Strong collaboration and trust
Throughout the project, iilo supported transparent communication, quality assurance, and clear file management, helping Sage on Earth confidently manage the production process and client feedback with many project collaborators and stakeholders.
Our impact
It was wonderful to work with iilo. They are professional, very well organized, responsive, and have strong design acumen. They helped us translate complex technical topics into accessible and visually appealing materials. We would certainly recommend iilo and look forward to working with them again in the future.